Chapter 93
“Your Majesty, are you participating in the game too?”
“Yes, but if people knew I was involved, the game wouldn’t be fair, so I joined secretly. I’ve always wanted to try something like this. You’re the first person I’ve run into today.”
“Oh! What an honor… I guess?”
Leonhard, unsure of what to say, awkwardly bowed his head, making Sylvester burst into laughter.
“Right now, I’m not here as the Emperor but as a fellow participant, so you don’t need to be so tense.”
Though Sylvester’s tone was mature for his age, Leonhard found his demeanor surprisingly warm, almost reminiscent of Elvin and Annie. Leonhard smiled sheepishly.
“Have you found many notes?”
“I only have these two…” Leonhard replied awkwardly, showing the two notes, one of which Sylvester had just handed him.
“Oh, I didn’t think anyone could collect less than me!” Sylvester said, genuinely amazed, making Leonhard want to hide in embarrassment.
“Hmm… Karl, how much time is left?”
“About 20 minutes, Your Majesty.”
“Twenty minutes… Depending on how you see it, it’s either a lot of time or not much at all. The easy-to-find notes are probably all taken by now.”
Only the difficult ones likely remained.
“Are you here alone?”
“I have a group, but we split up for a bet to see who could gather the most notes.”
“Ah, so you’re on your own for now?”
Leonhard nodded, and after a moment of thought, Sylvester placed his arm around Leonhard’s shoulder.
“Well, why don’t we team up for the rest of the time?”
“What?!”
“I haven’t collected much either. And as Emperor, I should have some decent results. Let’s stick together and share any notes we find—whoever spots it first gets it. How does that sound?”
“Sure! But… is it okay for you to team up with me?”
“Haha, it’s fine, it’s fine. Karl is here too, and you don’t seem like a troublemaker.”
Sylvester liked Leonhard’s honest and unpolished nature. Most people, upon receiving such an offer, would jump at the chance to flatter him and show off. Leonhard, however, didn’t act that way at all.
“Maybe it’s because he’s still young,” Sylvester thought. Still, even compared to other young nobles, Leonhard stood out. He was like a blank, pure canvas.
But Sylvester wasn’t just interested because Leonhard was different. He was also curious about how someone in a similar position to his own was living their life.
With Karl following as a bodyguard, the two walked side by side.
“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen you. You’ve never been to the capital before?”
“This is actually my first time leaving Chest.”
“Oh, really? Not even with the Duke?”
“No, somehow it just worked out that way.”
“Well, the Duke doesn’t visit the capital often. When he did, he usually came alone… though he did visit with the Duchess recently.”
Sylvester hesitated, realizing he’d mentioned something sensitive. Not long after that visit, tragic news about the Duke and Duchess had been announced.
Leonhard’s cheerful expression darkened at the memory.
“The Duke and Duchess were always kind and amazing people!” Sylvester quickly added, trying to comfort Leonhard. “I’ve known them since I was young, so I can vouch for that.”
“Really?” Leonhard asked, his interest piqued.
“Yes, whenever they visited the palace, they always brought small gifts. Most of the time, they were here for discussions with my uncle, so we didn’t get to talk much, but they were wonderful people.”
“Discussions with your uncle…?” Leonhard hesitated, recalling Hestia and Luciard’s warning not to mention the Grand Duke carelessly. Unsure of what to say, he racked his brain.
Sylvester, understanding the hesitation, gently patted Leonhard’s head.
“My uncle is acting as regent in my place right now. In a way, you and I are in similar positions.”
Relieved, Leonhard smiled and nodded.
“Yes, that’s right! I’m still young, so most of the responsibilities are handled by my guardian, Hestia.”
“Right. That’s why he talked more with my uncle, the Grand Duke, than with me.”
“Do you still have a lot to learn before you take on all the responsibilities?”
Karl tensed, ready to intervene, but Sylvester just smiled.
“I’m learning bit by bit. For now, the Grand Duke handles most things, but when I come of age, I’ll manage everything on my own.”
“That’s right! Hestia says it’s better to start early, so I’m learning little by little too!”
“You’re… how old again?”
“Eight!”
“What?! And you’re already working? Is Lady Frost overworking you…?”
“No, no! All I do is stamp documents. But she explains everything first and says I should only stamp them if I agree.”
Sylvester couldn’t fully grasp what Leonhard was saying, but he could tell Hestia cared for him deeply.
“Didn’t you say before that if you could go back in time, you’d still choose Lady Frost as your guardian?”
“Yes!”
“Tell me about her. It’s only been about three months, right? What’s it been like so far? I’d like to hear how capable she is.”
“Sure! When I first met her…”
Leonhard eagerly started talking about Hestia, his enthusiasm shining through. As they continued their treasure hunt, collecting notes as they went, Leonhard chattered happily about his guardian.
“Oh, and recently, we even caught some traitors!”
“Traitors?”
“Yes! Hestia said they were threatening me and Winston. Some of them were people I liked, so it was a little sad, but everyone said they felt safer now that they’re gone.”
The Humphrey incident had been contained within the Winston estate, with no external parties aware of the details. Even Sylvester was hearing about it for the first time.
“Hm… that’s quite the accomplishment,” Sylvester remarked.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Karl added. “It sounds like they managed to capture all the spies within the estate.”
Sylvester had met many young nobles with guardians, but he’d never seen a child trust and adore their guardian as much as Leonhard did. Most children seemed to fear or avoid their guardians, who in turn treated them more as responsibilities than family.
“Your uncle, Luciard—do you get along with him?” Sylvester asked.
“Yes! We’re really close!”
“He doesn’t scold you or anything?”
“Scold me? Why would he?”
“Well…”
“Uncle is super kind! Even when he’s busy, he plays with me, eats with me, and stays with me if I’m scared at night!”
Leonhard listed all the reasons he adored Luciard, his pure honesty showing just how much love he’d received.
“Even though I have Hestia, I felt a little lonely after my parents passed away. But now I’m fine because Uncle is here!”
Leonhard’s innocent, unwavering trust in his family stirred something in Sylvester.
“Your Majesty, I will stay by your side from now on. I promise you’ll never feel lonely again,” Sylvester silently vowed.
The previous emperor, his father, was nothing more than a distant memory to Sylvester. The only clear image he could recall from his childhood was the comforting figure of his uncle, Acid, who had extended a gentle, tearful hand to him.
Despite being born amidst the blessings and praises of many, Sylvester grew up hearing nothing but resentment and curses from his father. But even those painful memories had faded since he was so young at the time. Instead, he had mistaken his uncle Acid for his father due to the love and care he received from him.
The previous emperor had never once come to see Sylvester, let alone embraced him. It was always Acid who visited whenever he could, holding and playing with the young boy.
“When I first realized Uncle wasn’t actually my father, I was a bit shocked.”
That’s how deeply Sylvester had relied on Acid’s love.
To Sylvester, Acid was not just an uncle but a father figure, and the Florence Ducal Family felt more like his real family. They weren’t just bound by blood but by bonds like those between parents and siblings.
“And here I am worrying about someone else doubting their family when I’d throw a fit if anyone questioned mine.” Sylvester thought with a wry smile.
This protective instinct wasn’t unfounded, though. He simply wanted to make sure the boy, Leonhard, wasn’t in any danger.
“Your Majesty, are you not on good terms with the Grand Duke?” Leonhard’s question brought Sylvester back to the moment.
Unlike the judgmental tone he had grown used to from others, Leonhard’s question was genuine, his innocent curiosity shining through. Sylvester found himself liking that.
“Yes, we’re very close,” Sylvester replied.
Hearing this, Leonhard’s face lit up with relief.
“Thank goodness! Some people told me my uncle might hurt me, but I don’t understand why. He’s so kind to me—why would he ever harm me?”
“Exactly! People love to make assumptions without knowing a thing,” Sylvester agreed with a chuckle.
“My uncle even remembers to send me gifts on my birthday, no matter where he is! He brings so many presents!” Leonhard gestured with his arms wide, his excitement bubbling over.
“I know the feeling. As emperor, I receive countless gifts, but the ones from family always mean the most.”
“Right? Family is about love and trust, isn’t it? So, I don’t get why people tell me to be cautious around him,” Leonhard pouted.
“It’s because they’ve never experienced what we have. If someone told them to doubt their parents, they wouldn’t listen either.”
The two bonded as they talked, their similar situations and shared experiences creating a bridge between them. The seven-year age gap didn’t matter—they connected through their honesty.
“I always get upset when people badmouth my uncle,” Leonhard admitted. “They don’t know anything, yet they’re always… AH!”
Lost in their conversation, Leonhard suddenly stepped forward and disappeared into a hole.
“Leonhard!” Sylvester exclaimed in alarm, reaching out instinctively. But before he could move, Karl, his knight, quickly positioned himself to protect the emperor.
“What’s going on?! Karl, check on him!”
“Please stay here, Your Majesty. I’ll handle it.” Karl scanned the area and noticed a steep slope. Fortunately, it wasn’t too high.
“Leonhard! Are you alright?” he called.
Down below, Leonhard sat soaked in a shallow stream. “I’m okay! Just wet… Ugh, so wet!” he said, waving sheepishly.
Relieved, Sylvester sighed. “Thank goodness…”
Leonhard tried to stand but slipped back into the water, grumbling. His annoyance didn’t last long, though. Something shiny in the stream caught his eye.
“Huh?”
Without hesitation, he waded further into the stream, reaching for the glint.
“Your Majesty! Leonhard seems unhurt. I’ll bring him back,” Karl called out.
“Yes, please!” Sylvester replied, still worried.
Karl landed gracefully in the stream, the water barely reaching his knees. But as he approached the spot Leonhard had been, the boy was nowhere to be seen.
“Leonhard?” Karl called, scanning the area.
“Found it! I found it!”
Karl spotted Leonhard further in the stream, grinning ear to ear despite being soaked to the bone. He was holding a small glass bottle high in the air, its contents gleaming in the sunlight.
